Bamboo

Bamboos are a group of green plants that live for many years. They belong to a special part of the grass family called Bambusoideae. Some giant bamboos, like Dendrocalamus sinicus, can grow very tall, with stalks up to 46 meters (151 feet) long.

Bamboos grow very fast. Some types can grow up to 91 centimeters (36 inches) in just one day. This quick growth helps remove carbon from the air. Bamboo is also strong for its size, like timber. People in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Asia use bamboo for building, food, and art.

Taxonomy

Bamboos are a special group of plants in the grass family. They look different from other grasses, but they are related.

Bamboos grow in three main places. These places are:

• Herbaceous bamboos from the New World
• Tropical woody bamboos
• Temperate woody bamboos

There are over 1,400 types of bamboos. Scientists study them to learn more about these interesting plants.

Distribution

Most bamboo grows in warm, moist tropical and warm temperate areas. It can also be found in cooler mountains and highland cloud forests.

In the Asia-Pacific region, bamboo grows from as far north as 50 °N in Sakhalin to as far south as northern Australia, and as far west as India and the Himalayas. Countries like China, Japan, Korea, India, and Australia have special types of bamboo. Small amounts of bamboo also grow in sub-Saharan Africa, from southern Senegal to southern Mozambique and Madagascar. In the Americas, bamboo is native from southern Argentina through the tropical rainforests of South America to the Andes in Ecuador, with a gap in the dry Atacama Desert.

Three types of bamboo, all in the genus Arundinaria, are native to the Southeastern United States. These areas, called canebrakes, were once common but are now rare. Canada and most of Europe do not have native bamboo, but many types are grown there as garden plants. Recently, people have tried to grow bamboo commercially in the Great Lakes region of Africa, especially in Rwanda. In the United States, companies are now growing and selling species like Phyllostachys nigra and Phyllostachys edulis.

Ecology

Bamboos grow in two ways: clumping and running. Clumping bamboos spread slowly, while running bamboos spread quickly and need care.

They grow from underground parts called rhizomes. These rhizomes can send up new plants.

Bamboos are very fast-growing plants. Some can grow up to 910 mm (36 in) in one day! They can get taller than 30 m (100 ft) and reach full size in just a few months. Unlike trees, bamboo grows tall and wide in one season. After a few years, bamboo plants may die naturally.

Bamboo is an important food for animals like the giant panda, red panda, and bamboo lemurs. Some animals, like mountain gorillas, eat fermented bamboo sap. The larvae of certain moths that feed on bamboo are a special food in some places.

Cultivation

Bamboo is a fast-growing plant that can be used in many ways, like building materials or food. In Brazil, there are special rules to help people grow bamboo and help the environment.

When people cut bamboo to build things, they need to pick the right time. Bamboo grows quickly, but it should be cut after about five to seven years. The best time to cut it is a few months before the rainy season. At this time, the bamboo has less sugar, which helps keep it strong and prevents pests.

Toxicity

Some people might get a rash or itch when they touch bamboo plants. In rare cases, this can cause swelling around the eyes or trouble breathing.

Bamboo shoots have a natural toxin that can change into cyanide inside the body. This can make people feel very sick if the shoots are eaten raw or not cooked well. Boiling or steaming bamboo shoots for at least 20 minutes makes them safe to eat. People with certain health conditions should talk to a doctor before eating bamboo shoots. Wearing gloves and long sleeves when handling bamboo can help prevent skin reactions.

Uses

Culinary

The shoots of most bamboo plants can be eaten either raw or cooked, after removing the tough outer layer. Cooking helps remove any slight bitterness. These shoots are used in many dishes and broths across Asia and are sold in supermarkets in fresh or canned forms.

In some parts of Asia, such as Assam in India, bamboo shoots are fermented and used in local dishes. For example, in Nepal, fermented bamboo shoots mixed with turmeric and oil are cooked with potatoes to make a popular side dish. In Indonesia, bamboo shoots are sliced and boiled with coconut milk to make a dish called gulai rebung. Other dishes include sayur lodeh (mixed vegetables in coconut milk) and lun pia (fried wrapped bamboo shoots with vegetables).

The sap from young bamboo stalks can be fermented to make a sweet drink or wine. Bamboo leaves are also used as wrappers for steamed dumplings, such as Chinese zongzi.

Fuel

Working

Writing surface

In ancient China, bamboo was widely used for writing. Early documents were written on bamboo strips with ink, dating back to the fifth century BC. Before paper was invented, bamboo strips were the main way people wrote and kept records.

Bamboo fiber has been used to make paper since ancient times. Today, some high-quality handmade bamboo paper is still made, and bamboo is a common material for making paper for printing and writing.

Writing pen

Main article: Reed pen

In the past, people in India made pens called Kalam or boru from thin bamboo sticks. They would peel one side and shape the end to make a nib, then dip it in ink for writing.

Textiles

Bamboo fibers are very short, so they are usually turned into fabric using a process called rayon, which involves chemicals. Some products are sold as “bamboo fabric,” but they are actually rayon made from bamboo fibers. Regulations in Canada and the United States now require these products to be labeled as rayon, possibly with “from bamboo” added.

Fabric

Construction

Bamboo is a strong and lightweight building material. It has been used for centuries in many Asian countries to build simple suspension bridges, houses, and even skyscrapers. In places like the Philippines, bamboo is used to make the walls and supports of traditional nipa huts.

Bamboo is also used to make rafts and floating houses in areas with water access. The poles are tied together to support structures that can float on water.

Fishing and aquaculture

Bamboo’s flexibility makes it ideal for making fishing rods, especially the split cane rods used for fly fishing.

Firecrackers

In Malaysia and Indonesia, bamboo has been used to make firecrackers called meriam buluh or bamboo cannons. Water and calcium carbide are put inside a bamboo section, creating acetylene gas that is ignited to produce a loud bang.

Weapons

Bamboo has been used to make weapons for many years and is still used in some Asian martial arts. For example:

• In the Tamil martial art of silambam, fighters use a bamboo staff.
• In Indian gatka, fighters use bamboo staves.
• In Japanese kendo, a bamboo sword called a shinai is used for practice.
• Bamboo is also used to make bows and arrows in Japanese kyūdō.
• Early gunpowder weapons, like the fire lance, were sometimes made from bamboo.

Musical instruments

Indicator of climate change

Kitchenware and other usage

Bamboo is used to make many kitchen tools, such as chopsticks and steamers. It is also used to make bicycles, surfboards, snowboards, and skateboards. Bamboo has been used for centuries to make utensils, cutting boards, furniture, and even floors. It is also used to make jewelry like bracelets and earrings.

In culture

Several Asian cultures, including that of the Andaman Islands, believe people came from a bamboo stem.

China

Bamboo lives a long time and is a Chinese symbol of being strong and honest. In Chinese culture, bamboo, plum blossom, orchid, and chrysanthemum are called the Four Gentlemen. These four plants stand for the four seasons and, in Confucian ideas, four good qualities. Bamboo is a model for good behavior, showing strength and respect. It is also important in Buddhism and in Asian food, especially for monks.

Japan

In Japan, bamboo means good luck and is used to make New Year's decorations called kadomatsu. Bamboo forests often surround Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. In the folktale Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, a princess comes from a bright bamboo piece. Bamboo survived the atomic bombings of Hiroshima in 1945.

Malaysia

In Malaysia, a story says a man dreams of a woman under a bamboo plant and finds her inside when he breaks the stem.

Philippines

In Philippine mythology, a story says the first man and woman came from half of a split bamboo stem on an island made after Sky fought with Ocean.

Vietnam

Bamboo is very important in the culture of Vietnam. It stands for the spirit of Vovinam, a Vietnamese martial art, showing balance between strength and flexibility. Bamboo also represents Vietnam itself, showing hard work, hope, and unity.

Africa

Tanzania

Tanzania has many kinds of bamboo.

Bozo

The Bozo people from West Africa get their name from the Bambara words bo-so, meaning "bamboo house".

Saint Lucia

Bamboo is the national plant of St. Lucia.

Hawaiian

Hawaiian bamboo ('ohe) is a form of the Polynesian creator god Kāne.

North America

Arundinaria bamboos, called giant cane or river cane, have been important to Southeastern Native American nations. The Cherokee used river cane to make baskets, mats, fishing poles, flutes, and more. The Cherokee are working to bring back this rare plant.